Summary
- Saturday Night movie honors SNL with perfect release date on October 11, 2024, same as show’s debut in 1975.
- Stacked cast includes Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels, Cooper Hoffman as Dick Ebersol, and Rachel Sennott as Rosie Shuster.
- Film’s final title revealed as Saturday Night, contributes to SNL’s 50th anniversary celebrations for 50th season.
Jason Reitman’s Saturday Night, which chronicles the origins of SNL, has chosen the perfect release date to honor the sketch show’s iconic legacy. Saturday Night will revolve around the behind-the-scenes drama in the hours leading up to SNL’s first ever broadcast in 1975. It has a stacked cast to rival the first season of Saturday Night Live itself, led by The Fabelmans’ Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels, Cooper Hoffman as NBC executive Dick Ebersol, and Rachel Sennott as writer Rosie Shuster.
The Saturday Night cast also includes Ella Hunt as Gilda Radner, Dylan O’Brien as Dan Aykroyd, Nicholas Braun as Jim Henson, J.K. Simmons as Milton Berle, and Finn Wolfhard as an NBC page. Reitman is directing from a screenplay he co-wrote with his Ghostbusters cohort Gil Kenan. Saturday Night is set to arrive in theaters on October 11, 2024 (via Deadline), and not only does this release date put the film in contention for awards season; it’s also the perfect date to pay tribute to the beginnings of SNL.
Jason Reitman’s SNL Origin Movie Will Be Released On The Same Date That SNL Premiered In 1975
Saturday Night’s theatrical release will coincide with SNL’s anniversary
Not only is October 11 a great date to drum up some early interest with awards voters; it also happens to be the same date on which SNL originally premiered in 1975. The first episode was hosted by standup legend George Carlin (although, curiously, no one has been announced to play Carlin in the movie) and featured such future superstars as Chevy Chase and John Belushi. So, Saturday Night will arrive in theaters on the best possible day to honor the comedy history it portrays.
The announcement of the release date came along with the announcement of the film’s final title, Saturday Night. It had been produced under the working title SNL 1975, but that was never supposed to be the final title. While it doesn’t sound as snappy as an alternative title like Live from New York or It’s Saturday Night!, Saturday Night is a nod to SNL’s original title: NBC’s Saturday Night. The film may not have the perfect title, but it does have the perfect release date.
Saturday Night’s Release Adds To SNL’s Big 50th Anniversary Season
SNL’s 50th season is set to premiere on September 28
The release of Saturday Night will contribute to SNL’s 50th-anniversary celebrations. The 50th season of the iconic sketch show – described as a season-long celebration of the anniversary – is set to premiere on September 28, a couple of weeks before the film hits theaters. The series will celebrate its 50th anniversary with a special set to air on February 16, 2025. The 40th-anniversary special brought back a lot of legends, so it’ll be exciting to see what the 50th-anniversary special has in store.
Source: Deadline
SNL: 1975
SNL: 1975 is a historical drama film directed by Jason Reitman. Based on the debut night of Saturday Night Live, SNL: 1975 recounts the events leading up to the first episode’s premiere, with the stress and chaos behind the scenes examined in detail. The film is based on various interviews and accounts of the era’s cast members and production teams.
- Director
- Jason Reitman
- Cast
- Dylan O’Brien , Rachel Sennott , Lamorne Morris , Gabriel LaBelle , Cory Michael Smith , Kim Matula , Cooper Hoffman , Ella Hunt , Emily Fairn , Matt Wood
